JP5013406B2 - Axle housing and method of assembling the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an automobile axle housing and an assembly method thereof.

  FIG. 10 shows an elevation view of a rear axle housing of a conventional large automobile as seen from the rear of the vehicle. In FIG. 10, a rear axle housing generally indicated by reference numeral 1A has a housing body 10, an axle tip portion 12 connected to both ends of the housing body 10, and a cover member 14 having a substantially spherical outer diameter. . Reference numeral Sc in FIG. 10 indicates an axle center, that is, the center of a drive shaft (not shown).

The central portion of the housing body 10 has a circular shape when viewed from the front-rear direction, a circular outer peripheral cross-sectional shape is U-shaped (see FIG. 11), and a so-called “banjo” that houses the operating gear inside. Part "10B is formed.
Referring also to FIG. 11, the opening on the vehicle rear side (left side in FIG. 11) in the banjo portion 10 </ b> B is arranged so that the partial spherical cover member 14 closes the opening, and then the outer edge of the cover member 14. The housing body 10 and the cover member 14 are integrated with each other by welding the entire circumference (Wo).

In addition, a pair of spring seats 16 for attaching springs of a suspension device (not shown) are fixed to the housing body 10 by known means near the left and right ends of the housing body 10.
Here, in the axle housing 1A mounted on the vehicle, a load (axial load) Pu carried by the axle acts downward at the position of the pair of spring seats 16. Further, a reaction force Pl from the road surface acting on the wheels acts on the position of the tread width of the wheels at the axle tip portion 12.

  Due to the axial load Pu and the reaction force Pl from the road surface, a large tensile force (arrow Rt) is generated on the lower end side of the banjo portion 10B, and the elongation (deformation amount) due to the tension at the same position is also large. On the other hand, a compressive force (arrow Rc) is generated on the upper end side of the banjo portion 10B. In particular, the influence of the tensile force acting on the lower end side of the banjo part is large, and the strength is insufficient as it is.

When the cover member 14 is attached to the banjo part 10B in order to make up for such a lack of strength, in addition to the entire circumference welding (Wo) of the outer edge part of the cover member 14, the back surface of the cover member 14 above and below the banjo part 10B. Fillet welding Wi is performed on a wedge-shaped corner formed by the side outer edge and the surface of the banjo 10B.
FIG. 12 is an enlarged view of the XX cross section of FIG. 10, and shows the entire surface welding Wo on the surface side of the cover member 14 and the fillet weld Wi on the corner C on the back side simultaneously. In FIG. 12, the code | symbol 50 has shown the welding torch.
Reference numerals 10D and 10F in FIG. 12 will be described later.

  FIG. 13 shows a state before the cover member 14 is attached to the banjo part 10B. A bearing (final drive bearing: not shown) for rotating and supporting the drive shaft is opposed to the inside of the banjo portion 10B at a symmetrical position with respect to the banjo center 10o and on the axle center Sc. Is arranged.

The bearing cap 2 of the bearing tends to rotate with respect to the banjo center 10o when a driving force is applied to an operating gear (not shown) housed in the banjo part 10B. Such movement acts to reduce the driving force on the wheels. In order to prevent such movement, the wheel side end portion 21 of the bearing cap 2 is brought into contact with (abutted against) the opening portion (10R: the end portion indicated by the radius 10R in FIG. 13) of the banjo portion 10B. Yes.
FIG. 14 shows an XX cross section of FIG.

By the way, the fillet welding (back welding) Wi on the back side is a position where the corner formed by the cover member 14 and the banjo part 10B is deeper than the opening 10R at the position of the opening 10R (see FIG. 12). Therefore, the welding torch cannot approach the corner portion C. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 13, partial arc notches 10C, 10D, and 10E having a radius larger than the curvature radius of the opening 10R are provided above and obliquely below the opening.
Reference numeral 10C is assigned to the upper notch, reference numeral 10D is assigned to the notch closer to the axle center Sc obliquely downward, and reference numeral 10E is assigned to the far notch.

The notches 10D and 10E on the lower side of the banjo member 10B must maintain the radius (10R) of the opening 10R because the wheel side end 21 of the bearing cap 2 and the banjo member 10B need to contact each other. In other words, the projection 10F that leaves the radius of the opening 10R is sandwiched and divided into two locations.
In the remaining protrusion 10F, the welding torch 50 cannot approach as described above, so that the welding length cannot be secured sufficiently. In order to supplement such a problem, the cover member 14 is covered by increasing the plate thickness and increasing the weld leg length.
The cover member 14 has a large area as a whole, and the above-described measures cause unnecessarily an increase in weight.

As another conventional technique related to the axle housing, an axle case has been proposed that does not increase the mass or the cross-sectional height, has a low ground height, has a high strength, and has a recess that avoids interference with the operating gear (Patent Document 1). reference).
However, Patent Document 1 does not disclose a rotation stopping mechanism for the bearing cap, and does not solve the above-described problems.
JP 2005-14851 A

  The present invention has been proposed in view of the above-described problems of the prior art, can suppress the movement of the bearing cap for the drive shaft, and can sufficiently secure the length of the back welding of the cover member. An object of the present invention is to provide an axle housing that does not allow an increase in weight and a method for assembling the axle housing.

  In the axle housing of the present invention, a notch (10F) is formed at a location corresponding to the final drive bearing abutting member (3) of the housing body (10), and the axle cover portion is formed from the notch (10F). The welding device (50) is configured to be accessible to the back welding location of (14), and the final drive bearing portion abutting member (3) is formed as a separate member from the housing body (10). (Claim 1).

  The final drive bearing portion abutting member (3) is welded to an abutting portion (31) that abuts the bearing cap (2) and restricts the movement of the bearing cap, and a notch portion (10F) of the housing body (10). The abutting portion (31) and the welded portion (32) are integrally formed (claim 2).

  The method of assembling an axle housing according to the present invention allows the welding apparatus (50) to enter from a notch (10F) formed at a position corresponding to the final drive bearing portion abutting member (3) of the housing body (10), thereby the axle cover. A back welding process (FIGS. 6 and 7) for performing back welding on the part (14), and a final drive bearing abutting member on the notch (10F) formed in the housing body (10) after the back welding process is completed. (3) fixing step (FIGS. 8 and 9).

In the axle housing assembling method of the present invention, it is preferable that the abutting member (3) is fixed by welding (claim 4).

In carrying out the present invention, the final drive bearing portion abutting member (3) may adopt a structure (FIGS. 3 to 6) having a wing portion (32W) or omit the wing portion (32W). It may be a structure (FIGS. 15 to 18).
Further, when fixing the final drive bearing portion abutting member (3) to the notch portion (10F), it is possible to adopt not only welding but also so-called “screwing” or adhesion.

According to the present invention having the above-described configuration, the notch portion (10F) is formed at a location corresponding to the final drive bearing abutting member (3) of the housing body (10). 10F), the welding device (50) can approach the back welded portion of the axle cover (14).
Further, since the final drive bearing portion abutting member (3) is formed as a separate member from the housing main body (10), the welding device (50) is first entered from the notch portion (10F) and the axle cover portion ( 14) Back welding is performed, and the final drive bearing abutting member (3) can be fixed (for example, welded) to the notch (10F) formed in the housing body (10) after the back welding process is completed. .
Therefore, the welding device can be easily approached at the welding location, particularly at the location where the back welding is performed, and workability is improved.

  The notch is not divided into two parts as in the prior art, and a sufficient length can be secured for the notch. Therefore, improvement in workability and the same size of the weld leg length can be expected. Here, the increase in the weld leg length increases the strength of the entire axle housing.

  The increase in strength due to the increase in the weld leg length suppresses the increase in cost and weight due to the increase in the plate thickness of the cover member as in the prior art. That is, it contributes to weight reduction with respect to the prior art.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and FIGS. In FIG. 1 to FIG. 9, the same reference numerals are assigned to the same parts as those in the prior art.

  FIG. 1 shows a front view of a banjo portion 10B of a housing body 10 of an axle housing 1 (the shape of the entire housing is not shown) as viewed from the rear of the vehicle. In FIG. 1, as in the prior art, a bearing (final drive) is provided inside the banjo portion 10B so as to be symmetric with respect to the banjo center 10o and to rotate and support a drive shaft (not shown) on the axle center Sc. Bearings (not shown) are arranged so as to face each other.

  The bearing (final drive bearing) is held by a bearing cap 2.

  In the opening 10R of the banjo part 10B, a first notch 10C is formed above the banjo part 10B so as to be symmetric with respect to the banjo center 10o. In addition, second notches 10G are formed at two locations so as to be symmetrical with respect to the banjo center 10o obliquely downward from the banjo center 10o of the banjo part 10B. This notch 10G eliminates the protrusion 10F between the notch 10D and the notch 10E of the prior art (FIG. 13), and makes the notch 10D and the notch 10E continuous. .

In the present embodiment, an abutting member 3 separate from the banjo portion 10B is prepared at a position corresponding to the protruding portion 10F in the prior art, and the abutting member 3 is welded to a position corresponding to the protruding portion 10F in the prior art. It is configured as follows.
Here, FIG. 2 shows an XX section of FIG.

The abutting member 3 will be described with reference to FIGS.
The abutting member 3 includes an abutting portion 31 and a welded portion 32. The abutting portion 31 has a symmetrical shape and abuts against the bearing cap 2 to limit the movement of the bearing cap 2. The weld portion 32 is welded to the second notch portion 10G of the banjo portion 10B of the housing body 10.
In FIG. 3, the direction of arrow Ho indicates the outside of the housing, and the direction of arrow Hi indicates the inside of the housing.

  The abutting portion 31 and the welded portion 32 are provided with a step equal to the thickness of the steel plate constituting the banjo portion 10B (see FIG. 5).

  The welded portion 32 is formed such that a long hole 33 penetrates the welded portion 32 at the center. The welded portion 32 is formed with a wing portion 32 </ b> W whose tip is gradually narrowed so as to protrude outward from the abutting portion 31 to the left and right. The upper edge of the wing portion 32W is formed in an arc shape having the same polarity as that of the opening 10R so as to follow the opening 10R of the banjo portion 10B.

  By forming as such, positioning when the abutting member 3 is welded to the banjo part 10B is facilitated. In the illustrated example, a chamfer 32C is provided on the banjo part 10B side at the upper edge of the wing part 32W.

Next, an axle housing assembly method according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
First, based on FIG. 6, FIG. 7, the first half welding process is demonstrated. In the first half welding process, the cover member 14 is installed so as to close the opening 10R of the banjo part 10B of the axle housing body 10. Then, the whole circumference fillet welding Wo is performed on the outer edge portion of the cover member 14 by the welding torch 50.

  Next, the housing body 10 is inverted, and back welding Wi is performed in the vicinity of the first notch 10C and in the vicinity of the second notch 10G. In the back welding Wi in the vicinity of the first notch 10C and the second notch 10G, the welding torch 50 is easily welded due to the presence of the first notch 10C and the second notch 10G. Accessible to the location. Therefore, the back welding Wi can be performed smoothly.

  Next, the latter welding process will be described with reference to FIGS. In the latter welding process, the abutting member 3 is placed at a predetermined position, and the corner formed by the long hole 33 and the banjo part 10B is passed through the long hole 33 formed in the welded part 32 of the abutting member 3. Fillet welds are applied to the corners over the entire circumference of the long hole 33.

According to the embodiment of the present invention as described above, the portion corresponding to the abutting member 3 to be brought into contact with the vehicle-side end portion 21 of the bearing cap 2 of the housing body 10, that is, the opening portion 10R of the banjo portion 10B. A second notch 10G is formed.
From this notch 10G, the welding torch 50 is configured to be accessible to the back welding location of the cover member 14.
Since the abutting member 3 is formed as a separate member from the housing body 10 and is welded to the banjo part 10B, the welding torch 50 is first entered from the notch part 10G to perform the back welding Wi on the cover member 14, The abutting member 3 is welded to the second notch 10G formed in the banjo part 10B after the back welding process is completed.
Therefore, the welding torch 50 can be easily approached at all the welding locations, and workability is improved.

  The notch is not divided into two parts as in the prior art, and a sufficient length can be secured for the notch. Improvement in workability and increase in weld leg length can be expected. Increasing the weld leg length increases the strength of the entire axle housing.

  The increase in strength due to the increase in the weld leg length can suppress the increase in cost and weight due to the increase in the plate thickness of the cover member as in the prior art. That is, it contributes to weight reduction with respect to the prior art.

The abutting member 3 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 is formed with a wing portion 32 </ b> W whose tip is gradually narrowed so that the abutting member 3 projects to the left and right outwards from the abutting portion 31.
However, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the wing portion 32W can be omitted.
Further, the welded portion 32 shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 has a corner near the elongated hole 33 formed at a right angle, but the right-angled corner is chamfered, or in FIGS. 17 and 18. As shown, a so-called “R” may be attached.

The illustrated embodiment is merely an example, and is not intended to limit the technical scope of the present invention.
For example, the illustrated embodiment relates to a rear axle housing, but may be applied to an all-wheel drive vehicle.
In the illustrated embodiment, the abutting member 3 is welded to the notch 10G. However, the abutting member 3 may be fixed to the notch 10G by a technique such as so-called “screwing” or adhesion.

The front view explaining the principal part of embodiment of this invention. XX sectional drawing of FIG. The perspective view which shows the butting member of embodiment of this invention. The front view corresponding to FIG. FIG. 4 is a side view corresponding to FIG. 3. Process drawing which shows the back welding process of a cover member. XX cross-sectional enlarged view of FIG. The process figure which showed the welding process of the butting member in the assembly method of embodiment. XX cross-sectional enlarged view of FIG. The front view of the axle housing of a prior art. YY sectional drawing of FIG. XX sectional drawing of FIG. The principal part front view of the axle housing in a prior art. XX sectional drawing of FIG. The perspective view which shows the modification of an abutting member. The front view corresponding to FIG. The perspective view which shows the other modification of an abutting member. The front view corresponding to FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Axle housing 2 ... Bearing cap 3 ... Abutting member 10 ... Housing main body 10G ... 2nd notch 21 ... Wheel side edge part 31 ... bearing cap Contact part 32... Weld part 50... Welding device / welding torch

Claims (4)

A notch portion is formed at a location corresponding to the final drive bearing abutting member of the housing body, and the welding device is configured to be accessible from the notch portion to the back welding location of the axle cover portion. The axle housing is characterized in that the part abutting member is formed as a separate member from the housing body. The final drive bearing part abutting member has an abutting part that abuts on the bearing cap and restricts the movement of the bearing cap, and a welded part that is welded to the notch part of the housing main body. The axle housing according to claim 1, wherein the axle housing is integrally formed with the welded portion. A back welding process in which a welding device is inserted from a notch formed at a position corresponding to a final drive bearing abutting member of the housing body to perform back welding to the axle cover part, and after the back welding process is completed, A method of assembling an axle housing, comprising: fixing a final drive bearing abutting member to the formed notch. 4. The method of assembling an axle housing according to claim 3, wherein the abutting member is fixed by welding.

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